Page 88 of Unforgivable

“My apologies. The dude-bro ensemble and stench of fragilemasculinity must have overwhelmed me,” Fin sassed with that sweet smile still in place. Griffin wasn't phased, his own smile growing.

“Well, there's nothing silent aboutyourjudgment. I can practically smell it,” he cheeked.

“Here I thought that was your Axe body spray. That went out of vogue about twenty years ago, gramps.”

“Alright, shove your sexual tension, you two! Let's go inside already,” Aly sounded off, steering Fin to the doors by his elbow, leaving the four of us to follow.

“You literally can't help yourself, can you, Griff?” Kenji complained, muttering something else in Japanese and knocking into him playfully.

“I think he's finally found someone immune to his charms. He might not survive it,” Cal joked as Griff bopped him on the back of the head.

“Shut up, fuckers. I'm not trying to charm anyone. He's not my type,” Griffin grumbled, but there was no hiding the flush staining his neck and face.

We got settled at a table to the right of the stage near the front, Aly's connection securing us the spot. We chatted and ordered drinks while waiting for the show to start, and finally the lights went down and the music cranked up. A tall, svelte man in a sequined silver dress stepped onto the stage to thunderous applause. Her perfect smile was pearly white against her smooth, dark skin. Her makeup was showy and extravagant, a diamond notched in her broad nose, her red wig flowing in giant curls over her shoulders while she blew kisses to the audience.

“Bienvenue and welcome, my beautiful ones! I am your hostess with the mostess, Madame Roxie Rouge. Tonight you are in for a delicious treat. We have big voices, big dicks, and even bigger tits waiting to dazzle your asses off with some of the best damn drag talent Austin has seen in years!” Her melodic tenor voice boomed across the room causing it to erupt in cheers and whistles that nearly ruptured my ear drums.

Madame Roxie shimmied and laughed, playing to the crowd like a pro. “I amlovingthis energy! I haven't been hooted at this much since my sparkling performance at San Quentin. Don't worry babies, a lot of you will also be gay for the stay while you're here too. Johnny Cash can't turn a man like I can, bitches!”

Laughter echoed throughout the room, the atmosphere contagious and electric. Beside me, Cal was getting into the show too, slinging his arm around me and pulling me to his side. The gesture had my blood buzzing, intoxicated by the easy affection he showed me now. He sensed me watching him and flashed me a warm smile that made my heart palpitate.

The last two months had been incredible with him. His weekly practices and weekend games cut into a lot of our time together, but we found ways to make it work. The games had begun in early February, and he still went to all of them despite his suspension. I was proud of him for going to support his team even though I could tell it ate at him not to be on the field. Strangely enough, not much had changed from how we were before Christmas. We still hung out and talked daily, our banter and teasing as relentless as ever.

Only now Cal kissed me each hour, he touched me whenever I was within reach, and he looked at me like I was what he'd been waiting for his whole life. He'd rooted himself so deeply into my life and my heart that it was impossible to imagine a time he wasn't there. I leaned over to kiss him, the action intrinsic to how we were together. He pressed back, deepening it briefly before pulling away and squeezing my arm.

I focused back on the show and not my heartstopping boyfriend. The crowd was laughing at something else the hostess said before she calmed them with a flick of her manicured hand.

“Now, I know you didn't just come here to see me, although who could blame you? Let's get this evening started and meet some queens! Without further ado, please pull your hands out of your pants and put them together for the lovely and tantalizing Miss Regina Carina!”

A shorter, stout drag queen stepped from behind the curtain with a dramatic flare, her blond wig piled high on his head. Her feathery blue dress ruffled with each step she took and looked like something out of the twenties. Her makeup complimented her pale skin and was just as beautiful as Roxie’s. From the sides, a handful of big, muscled men in matching blue thongs danced out to surround her. Their strips of cloth did nothing to hide all their well-endowed…talent. Regina strutted to center stage, striking a pose as “Bad Romance” blared from the speakers. She started belting out the lyrics, her voice perfectly in tune and riling up the audience with her larger than life performance.

With a wave of the mic, she urged us all to join in on the chorus, the noise tremendous as the packed room warbled along with her. Myfriends and I cackled and bellowed along with everyone else, having more fun than I thought possible given our strange mixed group.

The next few performers were just as riveting and impressive, their song choices spanning decades and always crowd-pleasing. And each time, the same brawny quintet danced out with their matching underwear, which I didn’t mind in the slightest. Every now and then, I caught Fin and Griffin staring intently at each other, something in their gazes that was almost challenging. It didn't seem like anyone else at our table noticed, but there was no mistaking the weird tension between them.

Madame Roxie made her way back on stage after a couple more drag queens did their numbers. “Weren't these ladies fabulous? But I hope you all are ready for my favorite part of the evening. We are about to get turnt up and turned on with Elysium's amateur men's lap dance competition! I'm going to need some sexy volunteers from the audience please!”

The colorful lights flashed across the room as we all looked around, pausing on a couple of guys who shot their hands up in the air. After those two, Roxie looked around and pouted prettily.

“Oh come now gentlemen! Get on up here and shake what your mama gave ya! How about you, gorgeous?” Roxie's bold gaze landed on our table, her eyes pinned on Cal. I felt Cal stiffen next to me and I had to bite the inside of my cheek from busting a gut at his startled expression.

Our group shrieked and goaded him on, Kenji shoving him out of his chair quickly. Cal flashed me a nervous look before slowly making his way to the stage.

“There you go, baby. I promise I don't bite…that's for later,” Roxie teased, blowing him a kiss as we laughed along. “Do I have one more brave and studly participant willing to show us the goods?”

I knew instantly what Cal had planned when he aimed his wicked smirk back toward our table. He whispered in Roxie's ear, pointing to Griffin whose eyes practically popped out of his skull. He was shaking his head so hard it made my own neck hurt.

“Hell no! Don't do this to me, Hawk, you asshole motherfucker!” Griffin groused, Kenji and Aly cracking up beside him.

“Go on, straight boy. Put that pretty body to good use and show us what you got…or are you lacking balls as well as a fashion sense?” Fin quipped, leaning across the table with an impish grin. Griffin gave him awithering glare, jaw clenching as he reluctantly stood up and started toward the stage. He shoved Cal in the arm hard, but Cal just laughed and elbowed him in the ribs.

“Okay, ladies and hunkies, here are the rules. Our contestants each get two to three minutes to bump, grind and make you lose your mind! They can show as much skin as they want, so long as it's legal. Anything beyond that is for whoever is lucky enough to take these sexy bastards home! Contestants, pick a song, pick a lap, and let'sdance!”

The first of the four contestants told the DJ their song choice, then he waltzed over to a girl at one of the tables, starting a slow body roll over her as the music started up. He danced and moved to the thumping beat of Ginuwine's “Pony”, which would have been a solid choice if he hadn't made it look so awkward. The crowd applauded as the second dancer talked to the DJ and then made his way to a curvy lady in the middle of the room.

He was a little smoother than the first, grinding along to The Weeknd as the lady blushed and tried to hide her face as he moved over her. I looked up to Cal on stage, his eyes meeting mine almost immediately, even in the dark. The awareness we had of each other was as powerful as it was consuming. I gave him an encouraging smile and he winked in return, warming me from the inside out.

Then it was his turn, the DJ queuing up his song. He gracefully hopped off the stage, sauntering over to me slowly. It took me a second to peg the sounds of “Bom Bidi Bom” and Nick Jonas’ crooning voice, but my mind whited out when Cal started moving seductively to the music. His body was toned and rippling under his shirt, each move he made looking smooth and practiced. His eyes stayed glued to mine, burning away everything around us with the heat he seared me with. When the bass kicked in, Cal teased at the hem of his shirt, drawing it up over his back and whipping it off in time with the beat.

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